Community crafting a vision for children


By Jamese Slade

NCCU Staff Writer

the Durham VOICE

thedurhamvoice@gmail.com

NECD community members might have felt like they were back at school last Thursday at the East Durham Children’s Initiative community meeting.

Despite the socializing, smiles, food and beverages, attendees got down to business when organizers asked them to put their vision to paper.

It was like being back in school. (Photo by Jamese Slade)

It was like being back in school. (Photo by Jamese Slade)

Police officers, teachers and UNC, Duke and NCCU students were among the attendees.

“East Durham Children’s Initiative also known as EDCI is a pipeline of success from birth to the graduation of high school and readies children for college or careers,” said Wanda Boone, co-chair of EDCI. She said that EDCI will do whatever it takes to make sure children are successful along that pipeline.

EDCI’s program is modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone, which focuses on making sure children go to college.  Organizers are taking what they can from the programming and implementing it here in Durham and Northeast Central Durham (NECD) specifically.

“Research tells us that children in the community have been in a pipeline to prison, but now we want it to be a pipeline to education,” said Minnie Forte.

The kids are not the only focus of this program. Families are as well. Family support will include job training, housing assistance, health and wellness programs, after school and summer school services and financial literacy programs.

“In order to have safe and successful children, you have to have a safe and healthy environment,” said Boone.

To get the action started, the program is working step by step.

Boone said that EDCI is starting here with community conversations, during which community members will let organizers know what is important to them, what they like about their community, challenges they see and what they feel solutions are.

The working group included diverse community members. (Photo by Jamese Slade)

The working group included diverse community members. (Photo by Jamese Slade)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It is a great coming together in the community,” said Cora Cole-McFadden, Mayor Pro-Tem. “EDCI will have a better understanding of the needs of our children and we will be more involved in the success of our children.”

“EDCI is wonderful.  It will educate us on what is going on,” said Dee Mitchelle, president of resident services on Hoover Road. “I am hoping for more community involvement.  The information has got to be city wide.”

Some community members, however, remain skeptical.

“I have problems with a particular individual with particular motive to enhance that present political agenda,” said Vivian McCoy. “Until I see that it is totally community driven I will be a skeptic, because they did not go to the community and ask the community if they wanted this program.”

“The long-term goal for EDCI is to have children graduating from college and coming back to live, work and thrive in the community,” Boone said. “You will have more skills and potential to change the community.”

3 thoughts on “Community crafting a vision for children

  1. Courtney Price says:

    I like the two-picture format. It breaks up the text a little and lets the readers see more of what happened. Should the captions include names?

  2. Thanks for a great job on this article.

    I am one of the EDCI Co-Chairs. I was voted by the community to be Co-Facilitator of PAC 1. I have lived in NE Durham for 22 years and in Durham for 38 years. I receive no compensation from EDCI. I am not politcally motivated to do what I do. I have rolled up my sleeves and work no less than 25 – 30 hours a week on this initiative…because I believe it will change the outcome for children who need our help.

    Also as EDCI Outreach Chair, we have 23 EDCI Ambassadors in the ground to ensure that the “conversation” continues and has continued before during and after the formal Community Conversation. There were over 100 people at the Community Conversation, a mix of community and agency representatives, but many more community members are taking part throughout NECD and Durham in general.

    If anyone would like to join the community effort to help ensure wider community involvement, the EDCI wants you:) Please contact me: wandaboone@aol.com
    Check regularly for updates on the EDCI at: eastdurhamchildrensinitiative.org

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